Sen. Vitter's Madam Problem

One of the strangest things about Monday's late-breaking revelation that Louisiana Sen. David Vitter (R) was a client of the "D.C. Madam" was the way in which the senator himself disclosed it. Turns out, it maybe had to do with the threatening phone call Vitter got from Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt.

Deborah Jeane Palfrey, AKA the D.C. Madam. (AP photo)

A lawyer for the D.C. Madam told The Sleuth that Flynt, "through his agents," contacted Vitter Monday morning telling him that the senator's phone number showed up in the phone records of Deborah Jeane Palfrey, the Madam herself (a tip of The Sleuth's hat to ABC for posting the Flynt connection first.)

Vitter, 46, issued an apology eight hours later to the Associated Press and the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

The statement did not come from the senator's official press shop. Instead, it was sent from the e-mail address "Senator@Vitter2004.com" and did not have an official Senate seal at the top. That's why the Associated Press called Vitter's spokesman, Joel DiGrado, to confirm authenticity of the statement.

Some reporters and Louisiana politicos speculated that perhaps Vitter wrote the release and sent it himself. Here is the press release in its entirety:

DAVID VITTER

For immediate release
July 9, 2007
Vitter Issues Statement

U.S. Sen. David Vitter made the following statement today about his telephone number being on the old phone records of Pamela Martin and Associates prior to his running for the U.S. Senate. He respectfully requests that the statement be used in full without editing or paraphrasing.

"This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible. Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling. Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there-with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way," Vitter said.

-30-

David Vitter was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004. Before that, he represented Louisiania's 1st congressional district for three terms. (AP Photo)

The Sleuth wondered what Vitter's priest, Rev. Andrew Taormina, thought of the news, since he may well have been on the receiving end of that confession Vitter mentions in his statement. And we wondered whether Father Taormina would continue to allow Vitter to serve as a lector at his family's parish -- Saint Francis Xavier Church in Metairie, La. (Vitter's wife, Wendy, is also a lector at the church, according to the senator's bio on his Senate Web site.)

So we called Father Taormina to ask, but he declined to comment.

We also called Montgomery Blair Sibley, Palfrey's attorney. He was a lot chattier, calling Vitter's apology "excellent spin."

Sibley, who is trying to make the case that his client's escort service, Pamela Martin and Associates, conducted a legal operation, said he and his investigators will be calling Sen. Vitter to see if he might help them.

Sibley contends that his client's firm provided "legal sexual services." And what better character witness to help buoy their case than a United States senator? "Senator Vitter will definitely get a call here in due course from investigators to see whether he'd be a suitable witness," Sibley told us.

Also worth noting, in an ironic twist of fate, a Louisiana reporter who wrote a few years back about allegations that Vitter had an extramarital affair with a prostitute is now running for the Louisiana state legislature and issued a press release today claiming he is "vindicated" by the Vitter revelations.

The candidate, Christopher Tidmore, reported in the Louisiana Weekly newspaper in the summer of 2002, after Vitter dropped out of the race for governor, that Vitter, a state representative at the time, had allegedly engaged in an 11-month affair with a prostitute. At the time, Vitter dismissed the allegations as a political smear campaign by rival Republicans.

Tidmore released a statement today saying, "Mr. Vitter has used his considerable power to attempt to silence those who knew the truth. Those who attempted to expose hypocrisy and corruption early on were met with threats and disdain. ... Mr. Vitter's actions have harmed Louisiana at a time when we could not afford any further loss of influence in Washington."

Meanwhile, it's unclear where Vitter is spending the day. Cameras were waiting for him on Capitol Hill today, but the senator didn't show up as scheduled this morning at an Environment and Public Works subcommittee hearing. Committee aides heard he had stayed home in Louisiana.

"The big game right now is, where is he?" one Democratic aide said, adding, "No one has seen him. He's the Howard Hughes of the Senate."

If people could just value the truth, would it not make their life easier? For politicians it probably would not be the case. Imagine a world where if somebody is pointed out a mistake, he admits it and starts becoming part of the solution. Now wouldn't that be a dream for Louisiana? So my advice is to empathize with the people of the state. Look at that great documentary by Spike Lee for example.

now what should people do about him giving him amnesty,he was jumping in and out of his chair about illegal immigration,now wat he is asking from sanate?if he is asking for amnesty than he should have voted yes on last immigration bill otherwise he should step down cuz american people dont like amnesty.

To the genius who is now stating two separate issues are interlinked somehow, please do explain how that makes sense. How do the hardest working ppl in this country (illegal immigrants) even involved in a discussion regarding a man cheating on his spouse? Just answer that...please.

I really don't understand why we continue this game. If we'd just legalize prostitution (which so many high-ranking people appear to agree with privately, though not publicly), we could start to put all these silly issues behind us.

I don't care who Vitter or anyone else slept with; I just wish politicians would stop being so hypocritical.

Voting for the Crook (Edwin Edwards) was the right thing to do because his opponent was Ku Klux Klansman David Duke.

Long ago another Louisiana governor coined an interesting saying: "the only way I can loose is to be caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy". I imagine vitter will survive this scandal and not have a problem being reelected in 2010.

Here we go again. This matter should remain a private affair. Frequenting a prostitute is not an impeachable crime. Forgiveness can only come from his loved ones. What our President and Vice-President have done is impeachable (and crimes against humanity) and we should hold them accountable. What they have done in lying us into a quicksand of permanent war is unforgivable.

Why does God come into this every time. How can he say he received forgiveness from God? Did God speak to him himself, come to him in a dream or send him an offical notice letting him off his 'wicked' deeds? Man, same old tired excuses. When the cover up, threats and denials fail, bring out the God angle...aarrghh.

this isn't about who you fu#$ it's about his hypocrisy. I'm tired of the bull that comes out of
these guys all in the name of keeping their job, His actions clearly indicate that he is not a politician for the people, this is simply his
chosen profession and even with the oldest profession the dollar comes first, "Mr. hometown church".
Political leaders need to be sought out from their deeds in life, just like a great athlete is raised
up by his contribution to the game. Anything less and your the sucker.

HYPOCRITE DOESN'T EVEN COVER IT! HE KEPT BLASTING US WITH HIS STANCE ON GAYS BUT NOW,APPARENTLY IT'S OK TO COMMIT ADULTERY AS LONG AS YOU SAY "BUT, I ASKED FOR FORGIVNESS" AND "THIS IS A FAMILY MATTER"....WAS HE CALLING THIS HO FROM A PHONE THAT US TAXPAYERS PAID FOR? THEN IT'S NOT ONLY A FAMILY MATTER IT'S A PUBLIC MATTER....PERSONALLY I THINK ALL POLITICIANS SHOULD BE SHOT.THEY (NOT ONE OF THEM) HAS EVER DONE WHAT WAS IN ANY ONES BEST INTEREST BUT THIER OWN. THIS SHOULD BE THE NEW DEFINITION OF POLITICIAN....."I ONLY VOTE FOR WHAT IS IN MY BEST INTEREST.I AM DISHONEST TO THE CORE,AND AM QUITE A HYPOCRITE"..ATLEAST THIS IS CLOSER TO THE TRUTH THAN WHAT THEY COME UP WITH WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A VOTE.

Right, who are these (right wing) politicians to judge someone who is gay/lesbian and deny them the equal opportunity to marraige they desire? I guess the bible is a more important document to some Senator/Reps than the Constitution.

Oh, and not everyone subscribe's to YOUR religion, we'll judge this guy all we want ;) Marraige is a sacred institution he says huh :\

except that these guys play to the emotions of harebrained "values voters" and parlay that into positions where they serve the interests of the wealthy and powerful (for a seat at the table, of course), i could care less about their sexual peccadilloes. it's all so besides the point. but the media frenzy over this story confirms that the fourth estate is interested only in sensationalism and exploitation, as it gives them a ready excuse to ignore the real issues and avoid the hard and expensive work of actually making sense and reporting what a jaded, lazy and ignorant voting public needs to know to participate in the dirty but necessary business of making our democratic republic work.

Corruption Gone Wild
Friday, June 8th, 2007
Private contracts are handed out by the federal government in droves these days. The industrial company Northrop Grumman, which manufactures the stealth bomber, has been granted a number of lucrative contracts despite past lawsuits filed against the company.
Named the company of the year by Forbes in 2002, and ranked number 67 on Forbes 2006 Fortune 500 list, the Los Angeles based Northrop is the third largest defense contractor in the U.S.
Bruenn v. Northrop
Vaughn Bruenn worked as a cost analyst for Northrop until being fired after he sought treatment for Hepatitis C. Bruenn filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against the company. "Bruenn's due process rights were violated when the trial judge failed to remove an incompetent juror," states a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The judge also refused to admit evidence of discriminatory remarks made by one of Bruenn's supervisors. The supervisor mistakenly accused Bruenn of being a homosexual with AIDS. The Supreme Court refused to re-hear the case.
Bruenn remarked, "Can you image the torment I've endured, reading 45 days after my appeal to US Supreme Court for unlawful termination from Northrop after treatment for Hep C and Depression, the implication I was a homosexual and had AIDS by a manager and co-worker."
Northrop Awarded USAID/PEPFAR Contracts
The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) established the Partnership for Supply Chain Management (the Partnership) in 2005, a multi-billion dollar contract with 15 private sector institutions, including Northrop. The Partnership strengthens "the lifeline of essential drugs and supplies for people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases in developing countries," according to PEPFAR. President Bush created PEPFAR in 2003, through the U.S. Agency for International Development.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded Northrop a $4 billion dollar grant in May 2006, shared with four other companies, to provide services in the information technology platform and infrastructure services. Months later, in August 2006, USAID picked Northrop, along with three other companies, to compete for awards totaling $300 billion.
Political Connections and Contributions
According to the website OpenSecrets.org, Northrop maintains connections in the federal government. Several former Bush administration officials had ties to the company. Disgraced former Chief to the President, Lewis Libby served as a consultant to Northrop. Douglas J. Feith, former Under-Secretary for Policy, is the managing partner of a law firm whose clients include Northrop. Paul Wolfowitz, former World Bank president, also served as a consultant to Northrop. The current Under Secretary for the Comptroller Dov Zakheim is on Northrop's paid advisory board.
Lobbying in Washington, D.C. is a multi-billion dollar industry. In 2000 Northrop gave lobbyists a total of $6,882,720, and $1,181,280 in 2001 and 2002. Northrop gave contributions to several members of Congress including $20,000 to Senator Trent Lott (R) and $17,000 to Rep. Ike Shelton (D).
Current Northrop CEO Ron Sugar makes political contributions to both sides of the aisle. California Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) received a $900 campaign contribution in June 2006. George Allen (R) of Virginia, the incumbent senator defeated by Senator Jim Webb, received $1,000.

Freshly restructured and more-or-less on the mend, USAID's PEPFAR is yet growing at the optimal time.

For 1 year, whistleblower Vaughn Bruenn said the time is at hand for a full investigation. That request has yet to materialize.

"I think USAID needs to be very careful about allocating further funds until they can prove they can reduce the number of prior lucrative fraudulent PEPFAR contract awards," said Bruenn, who openly complained about a $10.7M HIV/Hepatitis PEPFAR grant award going to Northrop Grumman 45 days after the US Supreme Court Denied Appeal Rehearing of his unlawful termination suit (Bruenn v, Northrop) after contracting, treatment of Hepatitis C.

In May, USAID lost Randall Tobias to a well published DC madam sex scandal. The president announced a week ago, that he was appropriating an additional $30B for PEPFAR. The prior $15B is no longer there nor was misuses mentioned.

Other also have shown to question logic of giant defense contractors like Northrop into the compassion care arena, especially as Northrop's recover from years-long slump, openly stated desire to diversify, triggered by numerous DOD investigations concerns and fierce military contract competition.

During that period of Tobias reign at USAID -- when Northrop went from zero to $300B - now they're the single largest USAID contractor.

Congress became acutely aware of the crisis. But their own campaign funding sources were in many cases were often too rickety and resorted to Northrop for contributions (see Corruption Gone Wild)

TICKING CLOCK

The lack of control puzzles Bruenn. He noted, that he wrote every member of congress, all turned their back on him and the ensuing USAID crisis. Tobias remained at his post for 1 year,

" Bruenn said some members of congress may be delaying action in hopes of catching the impeachment wave that is rumored for this fall"..

"I think there's a lot of reluctance on the part of congress to go out on a limb when impeachment proceedings are looming," he said.

A QUESTION OF NEED

Officials generally agree that while the USAID needs to increase funding, the cost of mammoth fraud at the hands of Tobias/Northrop does not necessarily outweigh or lower the need for a full investigation

I urge you to support a full investigation. I hope you will also work to address several key issues that will strengthen the agency and more effectively prevent future corruption and punishment for abusers

Thank you for your consideration of this important issue and await your early reply.

A little confused as the referenced letter arrived 2 days ago. This letter doesn't match 3 conversations we've had, beginning May 2007. Very annoyed with the USAID, your office first began the torment June 2006 (see Corruption Gone Wild) and today June 21, 2007, 1 year later, the torment continues and continues.

Conversation we had just last week indicated -- that the USAID OIG was conducting an investigation involving Tobias/Northrop Grumman -- "that process could take possibly years for the OIG to conclude and possibly be criminal prosecution later" etc. etc..

Well let's see...
1st, he lied to the public in LA. How come, if he gained forgiveness from Lorena Bobbit Vitter and god almighty did he not ask forgiveness then, instead of now. Oh, I get it! because he would not have been elected to the Senate, had Louisiana citizens known that a right wing conservative was committing adultery. So then he parades a political career of family virtue and christian living?
Hypocracy is one word. A LIAR! That's my word. And remember a theif steals and a liar steals the truth. You can't be one without the other ...

Vitter thinks that its okay for him to pay for sex with a prostitute and also support the murder of Iraqi babies, because he found Jesus and the murdered Iraqi babies did not. If God didn't let him into heaven, heaven would remain empty. Anyome tired of southern jesus freaks yet?

He's from Louisiana for crying out loud. The state where corruption is rewarded and race pimping has been and is the name of the game for decades. His party affiliation is meaningless. The shameless whining of the New Orleans hurricane crowd has forever soured me on Cajun Crap!

The Repugs outed Bitter Vitter and his Fr. Quarter lover prior to the 2004 US Senate race but the Louisiana msm buried it. And allegedly, the Repug Justice Dept kept the Canal St madam's book sealed because Bitter Vitter was there. The Canal St. Madam just came out on Vitter's use of her services. Where are the Rove e-mails on this episode? Vitter and his wife went into counseling. Candidates in the 2004 sen race knew this but the dems were holding out til the runoff which never happened.
Vitter epitomizes rightwing, antichoice, homophobic, holier that thou, hater,sexist hypocrisy.
rjh

I personally don't care what politicians do behind closed doors (bedroom, car, or otherwise) as long as they are law-abiding, honest, and good at representing the people. Prostitution is illegal, but that's beside the point.

I do care when politians of the moral right try to dictate their version of morality: censorship, no same-sex marriage, (many don't believe in same-sex civil unions either), abstinence-only education...the list goes on. Keep the preaching out of politics, please.

I am sure that God and your wife will forgive you. But why not spare those of us a little. Your a big boy,and yes you are right you are a sinner, but there is a bigger picture here. Let me ask you what would you have done as a sitting US Senator.. (keep in mind that the term "US." means you represent all of us not just the people in your district) if photos had been taken of your "sins" how far would you have gone in compromising the rest of us? Why is it that when Senators and Congressional people do STUPID DAH! stuff like that you all turn to God, Family and those you represent to ask for forgiveness? What about the rest of us YOU REPRESENT? Do the right thing knuckle head, resign and go get a real job like an Attorney someplace? (which is probably what you are anyway) now that's another can of worms..Attorney? Sins? God? your on your own on that one.

I am sure that God and your wife will forgive you. But why not spare those of us a little. Your a big boy,and yes you are right you are a sinner, but there is a bigger picture here. Let me ask you what would you have done as a sitting US Senator.. (keep in mind that the term "US." means you represent all of us not just the people in your district) if photos had been taken of your "sins" how far would you have gone in compromising the rest of us? Why is it that when Senators and Congressional people do STUPID DAH! stuff like that you all turn to God, Family and those you represent to ask for forgiveness? What about the rest of us YOU REPRESENT? Do the right thing knuckle head, resign and go get a real job like an Attorney someplace? (which is probably what you are anyway) now that's another can of worms..Attorney? Sins? God? your on your own on that one.

What is most bothersome about the Sen. Vitter incident is his prior public call that President Clinton should resign as a result of his sexual relationship with Monica Lewinski. How can Sen. Vitter now say that his adulterous affair with a prostitute be considered a private family matter given his prior stance? Since he was part of the whole Clinton impeachment fiasco, he needs to follow through on his own stated standard and resign. Otherwise, how is he fit to govern?

Throw in his poor wife Wendy's public comment on the Lewinski affair (implying that she would castrate him if he had an affair and would not take Sen. Hillary Clinton's approach of forgiveness), and his fate should be sealed.

I personally don't think that a sexual affair disqualifies someone from governing, but the fact that he took a public stance on the issue that lawmakers must resign under such circumstances requires his resignation.

well, what about our sanctimonious cathloic and fundamentalist christian churches? appearance is everything, not substance and heaven forbid anyone be honest about his/her inner conflicts! as long as we disallow authenticity in this capitalistic burg of democracy, hypocrisy and betrayal will reign!!

well, what about our sanctimonious cathloic and fundamentalist christian churches? appearance is everything, not substance and heaven forbid anyone be honest about his/her inner conflicts! as long as we disallow authenticity in this capitalistic burg of democracy, hypocrisy and betrayal will reign!!

we just snickered and laughed at the Vitter news,and being from New Orleans that's about all a body can do in view of the almost daily events here that are embarasssing to Louisiana, families, business leaders and plain folks that apparently are so unimportant to the electorate that we only hear from them at election time then they disappear until they need to run for office again.

we just snickered and laughed at the Vitter news,and being from New Orleans that's about all a body can do in view of the almost daily events here that are embarasssing to Louisiana, families, business leaders and plain folks that apparently are so unimportant to the electorate that we only hear from them at election time then they disappear until they need to run for office again.

To buy sex from a prostitute is against the law. Senator David Vitter should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law because he violated the law and committed a crime. The rich and powerful must not be above the law.

Clearly anyone who broke the law (paying for sex) should resign, especially when they have professed a superior morality AND called for the impeachment of a President for having free oral sex (no crime there). What a hypocrite!

The issue, as it often is with Republican right wingers is Vitter's hypocrisy.

Vitter preached one thing, did the opposite.

If Vitter had preached that consenting adult sex was an individual choice + then got caught, I'd have no criticism. But this is the same guy who blasts Clinton for adultery, uses his wife + children as campaign props to pretend to be the loyal, faithful, happy marriage, supports the "sanctity of marriage" yet doesn't practice it.

Why is it always the most intolerant and sanctimonious finger pointers, the ones who have a sermon and a half for everyone else, that can predictably be found whining and sniveling the loudest for "forgiveness and understanding" for THEMSELVES when THEY get caught with their pants down?

A fitting punishment for this jerk would be to force him to spend the rest of his life reading (and puking over) his own speeches.

To all those thumping their bible,I remind them that in the old testament it clearly states that a married man is allowed to have relations with an unmarried woman,and that earrings are a sign of enslavement. Keep thumping, and dont try to practice cafeteria-style religion. All or nothing - you cant have it both and all ways.

Several hours have gone by since this became public and - hold on - Vitter hasn't gone into rehab yet. Also, he certainly acts like someone who was involved in a lot more than just "erotic role playing", as Deborah Palfrey contends. How is it that out of hundreds of names and phone numbers released to ABC News, so few have been made public?

This guy is the worst of all hypocrites. A day after he "tearfully confesses to his wife and begs forgiveness of God" for this one-time transgression, it turns out that his name is on the N.O list of another $300 an hour lady of the evening. Apparently he was a weekly client. By now even God will not believe him. I'm not much in favor of punishing a politician for his personal transgressions but come on man, you got to stop lying to your wife and to the priest. O well, he does not run again until 2010, lots of time to forget.

Americans have shown much more tolerance for the adulterer than the proven hypocrite. We've cast the scarlet letter "A" aside as we sharpen our knives to carve the letter "H" on Senator Vitter's chest.

If this latest news is news to Mrs. Vitter, the Senator should count all the steak knives before he comes to bed.

What an idiot! So he talks to God, and God talks back to him? How does that work anyway? Mr. Family Values ought to step aside, resign from the Senate and go back to whatever it was he was doing in his pitiful little life.

"but the media frenzy over this story confirms that the fourth estate is interested only in sensationalism and exploitation..."
Hey, sorry, but isn't this argument a little tired and, well, stupid? There are plenty of journalists from the "Fourth Estate" who are doing important work. In the last few years, there have been exposes on nearly everybody of importance in the White House; entire books on Al Queda, the lead-up to the Iraq War, global warming, immigration, the health care industry, the food industry, product safety, China's economic rise, the American economy, the oil industry, Darfur, and on and on. In short, nearly every topic of importance. People expect to learn all they need to know with 30-minutes of nightly news. It ain't gonna work. If more people read instead of counted on the talking heads to inform them, they'd realize that journalists, scientists, writers, documentary film makers, and yes, newspaper and television reporters, have done a fine job of giving us information. Sadly, too few of us take it seriously enough to learn.

I'm so glad David Vitter asked and received forgiveness from his wife and God...but what about the District Attorney?!!! Last time I heard, prostitution was against the law. David Vitter should be prosecuted in a court of law.

Were this an average Joe who offered the stated apology (belatedly once caught), I'd have accepted it. But to ignore your own hypocracy when it is exposed is inviting... demanding that all your future acts be viewed skeptically.
Though there are differences, I believe that Clinton committing purjury and obstruction is as bad as Scooter Libby, the difference being (and sentencing statutes specify this) the courts must consider what underlying crime was being investigated which was obstructed. So there is an obvious difference between an allegation of infidelity and revealing the identity of a CIA operative whose responsibilities were ferretting out WMDs.
With Vitter, we also have a parallel. His infidelity is a personal matter, which I, as a liberal, do not believe necessarily impacts his ability to perform his job. It is salacious and certainly speaks to his character, just as Clinton's behavior spoke to his. But I never felt Bill Clinton made any less of a fine executive because of his personal imperfections.
Having said that, Vitter does, by his previous scathing denials and following confession (once caught in his lie), invite the public to view all his pontificating with a jaundiced eye.
I will remain interested to see whether the Republican machine (talk radio, Fox Noise, pundits, politicos, ...) lambast him with the same vigor they did others (i.e. Democrats) in similar situations, or, as they have with Scooter Libby's obstruction and Bush's pardon, um, commutation, backpedaled and made frail excuses why their picadillo's are different and much sweeter smelling than those produced by Liberals.

Were this an average Joe who offered the stated apology (belatedly once caught), I'd have accepted it. But to ignore your own hypocrisy when it is exposed is inviting... demanding that all your future acts be viewed skeptically.
Though there are differences, I believe that Clinton committing perjury and obstruction is as bad as Scooter Libby, the difference being (and sentencing statutes specify this) the courts must consider what underlying crime was being investigated which was obstructed. So there is an obvious difference between an allegation of infidelity and revealing the identity of a CIA operative whose responsibilities were ferreting out WMDs.
With Vitter, we also have a parallel. His infidelity is a personal matter, which I, as a liberal, do not believe necessarily impacts his ability to perform his job. It is salacious and certainly speaks to his character, just as Clinton's behavior spoke to his. But I never felt Bill Clinton made any less of a fine executive because of his personal imperfections.
Having said that, Vitter does, by his previous scathing denials and following confession (once caught in his lie), invite the public to view all his pontificating with a jaundiced eye.
I will remain interested to see whether the Republican machine (talk radio, Fox Noise, pundits, politicos, ...) lambaste him with the same vigor they did others (i.e. Democrats) in similar situations, or, as they have with Scooter Libby's obstruction and Bush's pardon, um, commutation, backpedaled and made frail excuses why their peccadillo's are different and much sweeter smelling than those produced by Liberals.

SEN. DAVID VETTER Louisiana USA, family values conservitives (DC Madams Black Book list) does not practice what he preached (a state representative earlier, had allegedly engaged in an 11-month affair with a prostitute. At the time preaching in Congress and the State of Louisana against the so called immoral gay marriages and GLBT love partners (between same sex persons) and his Catholic bigotry. He was the father of the conservative fight against the GLBT COMMUNITY now he asks his God to forgive him for his sin---this is bigotry first class. (He should resign FRIPRO NEWS Editorial) (MORE FROM WASHINGTON POST)

I don't care if Vitter paid to get his rocks off. It does bug me that only the woman gets hassled and arrested by the police. The laws against prostitution not only burden women who are usually economically disadvantaged anyway, but their enforcement is outrageously favorable to men. Decriminalize it. The government should treat the sex business like the restaurant industry - regulate it for health reasons, zone it, but otherwise leave it alone.

David Vitter is dedicated to making life better for his young family and all Louisiana families. He's focused on putting Louisiana first as an independent and outspoken reformer, and on advancing mainstream conservative principles like fornicating with call girls.
In the Senate, David serves on the Committees on Commerce, Science and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Working on these committees allows David to focus on jobs, infrastructure, and economic development for every region of the state. He's been particularly focused on lowering prescription drug prices, fornicating with call girls, saving our coast, and preserving and improving Social Security for future generations.
Prior to his service in the U.S. Senate, David represented the First Congressional District of Louisiana from 1999 - 2004. During that tenure he fornicated with call girls.
For his work in Congress and fornicating with call girls, David has received numerous awards from leading organizations such as Americans for Tax Reform, the 60 + Association, and the Family Research Council.
David and his wife Wendy live in Metairie with their four children, ages 13 and under, and are lectors at St. Francis Xavier Church. The call girls that he fornicates with live in Washington D.C., away from his wife and four children.

...What about the harlot who tempted him into this sordid affair? Not all blame lies with him. Does she not deserve equal countenance and scorn in the eyes of the Lord?

And what of the poor Senator's wife who will endure snickers and sneers at this Sunday's service? She did nothing except stand at his side as true Christian woman would.

Sorry, the extramarital woman is guilty party here, not the righteous couple. John 8 is most fitting indeed....
----------------------------------------
The righteous couple? The harlot who tempted him? Palfrey wasn't exactly walking a beat outside of his office. I call BS. About 1 out of every 100 POLITICAL "family values" couple practices what they try to shove down my throat. I might be a little generous there, but they can't ALL be more hypocritical than your average folk.

How the Vitters handle(d) it as a couple is none of my business. How he handles it as a national politician is mine. Be a man, Vitter. You've committed a crime - a particularly hypocritical one. Resign.

Clearly, this is a demonstration of what gay marriage has done to damage the institution of marriage. Senator Vitter's situation should drive the point home that gay marriage is a clear and compelling threat to society. In the Senator's case, it's obvious that gay marriage so demeaned and diminished Senator Vitter's marriage to his wife that he ran into the arms of a prostitute for comfort.

This type of politics just prove that President Bush and Vice President Cheney are part of a vast right wing conspiracy and oil cartel that plans on taking over the whole world and give it to their capitalist masters to sell for the most money. Thank heavens for the Democrats who will save us from these trickers.

I would like to give Senator Vitter and Mrs. Vitter some facts on HIV/AIDS. Most of the hetro-white female newly infected women are exposed to the virus by the loving husbands and boyfriends in their lives. The NOAIDS TASK FORCE in New Orleans does free testing.
Have you been tested lately? Just another black eye for La.

Our country is obviously broken. it has been for some time. The question I ask all of you is - How do we fix it? It's easy to complain and point fingers, then go back to our daily routines. But which one of us will stand up and run for office; have the courage to actually put the time and effort into our governance? This is why we are in the state we are in. We have become complaisant. Let us change the dialouge to productive noise. Follow your Representatives and Senators voting records. Hold them accountable at re-election time. Get involved. Show up at congress. Run for office. But alas we're all too busy with our lives, so we vote what's easy. I wish I had the answer but I don't. I have the burning desire to change, but I don't know where to start. Who will lead us to the future? Food for thought.

Jeanette Maier, 48, spoke openly about Vitter's patronage of the New Orleans brothel in an interview Tuesday, as she sat atop the king-sized bed in her Gretna home. The bedroom was decorated in a Southwestern motif, and a rosary hung from the headboard. She puffed on a cigarette as she talked.

And this leads to the question of COMPROMISED? And why the WAPO, NYT's, and ABC got scooped?

Here's a letter to the editor in the Shreveport LA newspaper about the Vitter incident. The letter comes from a mother of a gay son who is now an activist working for full equality for her son in our country:

The Vitter lifestyle threatens marriage
When Republican David Vitter ran for the Senate he issued a statement on "Protecting the Sanctity of Marriage" from the threat of same-sex marriage. After being elected, Vitter co-authored a proposed federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, saying, "I don't believe there's any issue that's more important than this one."

We now know why Sen. Vitter was such an expert on the need to protect marriage. Vitter just issued an apology for "a very serious sin in my past" after it was revealed that his telephone number was on an "escort service" list run by "D.C. Madam" Deborah Jeane Palfrey. Palfrey is accused in federal court of running a prostitution ring.

Having utilized an "escort service," Vitter knew he was the poster-boy for violating the sanctity of marriage. But that didn't stop this seedy politician from falsely accusing loving gay couples of threatening marriage by simply wanting to marry. Exploiting bigotry for political gain, Vitter would rather address imaginary threats to marriage rather than the real threats he carried out.

Married 37 years, I believe in the importance of the institution of marriage as a stabilizing force in society. To truly support marriage, we should treat it as the gold standard for relationships, and encourage all couples living in intimate personal relationships, straight or gay, to marry. Phony protectors of marriage care about the votes won and dollars contributed from promoting anti-gay bigotry based in ignorance. They care about your marriage about as much as Vitter cared about his.

So far, I haven't seen anyone examining Vitter's hypocritical posture on marriage and family values as they related to his anti-gay political views.

Bush's savage war in Iraq has, according to newscasts of 07/11/07, driven young girls among the thousands of Iraqi refugees to a life of prostitution in order to help their families survive. What used to be barren desert near the Syrian border is now a thriving mecca for their "trade."

While Vitter should be vilified for his abject hypocrisy, his "sin" pales in comparison to Bush's crimes against humanity which, now it is revealed, includes being what ammounts to an international pimp. His expectations of getting paid in oil are what this war is about, and if the Iraqi "government" (using the term lightly) signed the proposed oil legislation, you'd see Bush pulling our troops out so fast it would make your head spin!

I'm sick to death of these insufferable monsters and their sanctimonious palaver.

As much as I dislike Vitter's policies on Iraq, I cant bring myself to be harsh on him in this. After all, he is no different that Clinon. I did not think it was anyone business who Clinton slept with and I don't think it is anyone's business who Vitter sleeps with. Why do people make this a big deal? All it does is detract from the man's real faults on important issues. As a Democrat, I hope that Democrats will not make a big deal aout this

I really don't care if politicians have consentual sex with a willing partner, for free, or for pay. They shouldn't even have to be hypocrites about it!! (Europe is MUCH wiser on this!) It is when they screw the AMERICAN PEOPLE and the CONSTITUTION they should be removed from office!

For all of you who think that Vitter should step down and ask God for forgiveness. I believe his press release was directed at you. He is playing on the fact that people such as yourselves will 'forgive' him if he says that he asks 'God' for forgiveness.

The truth is, many people cheat on their spouses, politicians or otherwise and it shouldn't be a reason for him to step down. We are not running a morality patrol in the U.S. land of the free and fornicating now are we. Hell, Clinton cheated, and we still love him. Vitter should not be our scapegoat.

We all pay for sex one way or the other, JFK-Marilyn Monroe, Clinton-Lewinski, and many other elected officials even with gay relationships, and we don't have enough prisons to incarcerate all of us guilty of transgressions.
Research has shown about 50% of men have violated marriage vow's, so who are we to judge. There are far more problems facing America than sexual mores. "Public Law 87-297" to disarm America, "REX 84" to turn our nation over the the United Nations. The Billions of money, and lives of our service persons being lost in Iraq, imports from China, Illegal Aliens, I can go on and on, these all affect every American, who Mr. Vitter went to bed with doesn't take any money out of your pocket, these other problems do.
Only if Don Cordell gets elected in 2008 as your next President can we start to clean up the treason being fostered upon our nation. We can finally hold our heads up with pride in our nation again. I'm an 80 year old citizen that has seen a lot all these years, even good old Roosevelt had a mistress, and yet he is revered for bringing us out of the depression in the 30's, (of course what really brought us out of the depression was the start of manufacturing war material for WW II). Right now, we are talking about human beings, who make mistakes, even knowingly. I doubt if 50% of our elected politicians could pass an honest test of morality. But if we don't make a major change in 2008 this nation will be given to the United Nations on a platter. We are going to be disarmed, our military disarmed, and you worry about a little elicit sex, remember the bible says even in you just thought about illicit sex, you have sinned. Hmmmm. Do you worry that the INS says they have caught 300,000 Muslims that have crossed in to America since 2003 asking for Amnesty, given a date to appear in court, and only 7% of them have appeared, now we are only talking about the 300,000 that the border patrol caught. Where are these Muslim MEN, not women? How many didn't the border guards catch? We are being invaded, and thank goodness we convinced the Senate to forget Amnesty, we do not want illegal aliens given Amnesty, we want them out of here. We do not need our neighborhoods protected by Hispanic gangs, we need the kind of safe neighborhoods we had before this invasion from Mexico. When you google for "REX 84" you will find out about Executive Orders issued by our Presidents to take over America by Martial law to turn our nation over to the United Nations. So folks that is our real problem.
Who Mr. Vitter slept with is not really important. Our sovereignty is important, our job situation is important. Let Mrs, Vitter handle this marital infidelity problem, and lets worry about the future of our total nation.
www.DonCordellforPresident.com will help you understand our real emergency. Thank you.

U.S. Attorney: Vitter's name never surfaced in Canal Street brothel probe
Posted by Times-Picayune July 11, 2007 1:50PM
U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said Wednesday that his office never came across allegations that Sen. David Vitter patronized prostitutes in its probe of the Canal Street brothel in 2002.

The typically circumspect Letten gave the comment Tuesday afternoon in response to media inquiries about Vitter's alleged patronage of the prostitution house, saying he wanted to "set the record straight" after Tuesday's comments from the brothel's madam, Jeanette Maier, who said Vitter patronized her prostitutes.

"At no time during the investigation or prosecution of the Canal Street brothel case did Senator Vitter's name ever surface," Letten said.

Sensitive to public perceptions about how his office handles allegations against high-profile figures, Letten said, "While we normally cannot and do not comment on these kinds of situations, in light of the statements by Jeanette Maier, and her attorney's attempt to address those statements, I felt it was incumbent upon this office to make an exception and set the record straight."

Maier's attorney Vinny Mosca made similar comments Tuesday, saying he had no knowledge of Vitter ever patronizing his client's brothel.

[Read also the comments of New Orleans-area readers -- shows how wise many are, despite our continuing Katrina storm]

The crime here is that yet again there is yet another conservative republican hypocrite who builds a carreer atacking the right of Gay people to form a family while trampling on the so called family values that he claims to defend. Let's live and let live. Let's elect leaders who will take a stand on real issues - peace, social welfare, environment, health insurance, budjet deficit, social security and immigration.

Interesting that David Vitter is now the target of Larry Flynt. Vitter only came to the office of senator after Bob Livingston resigned his seat in the U.S. House (and his newly won office of Speaker of the House). Vitter then received the appointment (from the then-Republican governor Mike Foster) to fill out Livingston's term.
Vitter then used his "incumbent" status (a hallowed one in the South) to keep that job until he made his run at the Senate seat of Chris John.
And why did Livingston resign? Because Larry Flynt was going to make public Bible Bob's sexual escapades at the height of the Clinton-Lewinski idiocy.
None of these people can keep their pants zipped. The difference is that Democrats seem to enjoy it a lot more (and don't turn up on hookers' books as often), while Republicans seem ashamed of the fun and games, try to keep it hidden and campaign on values that are the very opposite of what they actually practice. And, interestingly enough, it's the Republicans who seem to need to pay for it.
judyj10@bellsouth.net

This scandal epitomizes the moral bankruptcy of Catholic sex for procreation only that always outsources marital sex to much hotter hookers. This happened to my parents also--childbirth nearly killed my mom and a philandering priest wouldn't allow her birth control to save her life. Natural Family Planning always failed because emotional upsets cause out-of-cycle ovulation. So mom chemically burned my skin off as her abstinence only excuse. I wish she aborted me instead. Monsignor Martin Schwallenberg, late chaplain for the Orioles and pastor of Towson's Immaculate Deception, urged dad to go to hookers instead. He did. Extremist Catholics like Vitter and Hitler should be banned from public office. Vitter should be jailed for trading his votes for hooker sex and criminal Munchausen by Proxy maiming and murdering of other sexually active people by denying them the safe non-procreative sex he treats himself to. I hope Mrs. Vitter bobbits him and aborts any current pregnancy. May she and the kids renounce Catholicism for their own physical and mental health.

Holier-than-thou hypocrite. Classic. Shame on these sexually repressed bible-thumpers. Telling us what's right and wrong and screwing hookers on the side. That's what the Republican party is all about...lies, slander, casting stones, pretending they have exclusive acccess to God, justice and morality. Isn't it about time we stopped falling for the lies?

Thank You Mary Ann Akers for covering this story, but as you probably know Both the New Orleans Madamn and his DC Madamn said he was the Nicest JOHN that they had sex with. Should we give him a pass since he was so nice. NOT

Since his personal favorite NOLA hooker was/is Wendy Cortez we can assume she's quite a business woman with personal ethics that allow her to ignore his racist rants as of late .... he's spent a lot of his time on chamber floors pounding the podium and ranting against the very people with names like "Cortez" coming to America but did fail to rant against her fellow immigrants from coming IN America.

Our nation's W.A.S.P's spokesman, Tucker Carlson defending Vitter's family values hypocrisy with the excuse that politicians in DC who leave their families in their home states while renting temp. digs in DC are apt to be unfaithful, so what, boys will be boys...it might behoove the WASP Rocket Scientist to get at math tutor.

If Vitter wasn't spending the extra cash on hookers and supporting his mistress Miss Cortez who he moved to the DC area from New Orleans, he would have been able to afford a larger rental in DC to accomodate his wife and all those kids of his....and preserve his facade of "good husband and father" for his holy roller voters.

It's not about sex. It's about hypocrisy. Vitter won in LA by holding himself up as a protector of moral values. At least Edwards never pretended that he was a paragon of virtue. He played around and didn't care that everyone knew it.

It's not about sex. It's about hypocrisy. Vitter won in LA by holding himself up as a protector of moral values. At least Edwards never pretended that he was a paragon of virtue. He played around and didn't care that everyone knew it.

The very nerve of a man to campaign on family values and morales, get elected by the people who believed him, then he turns around and does something stupid like this. I for one did not vote for the man, but I tend to agree with his wife for the best punishment for this crime. Some of you folks are comparing Mr. Vitter's actions with President Clinton's actions, but you must take in consideration President Clinton did not pay for sex and paying for sex from a prostitue is what makes this case not legal. I say Mr. Vitter should take responsibility for his actions and resign his post and let a trustworthy person have it.I've always heard, a man who cheats also lies. Now I ask, can the American people stand to hear just one more lie from Washington?? I say weed the cheats and liers out of Washington as we catch them. Mr. Vitter, do the right thing and resign, go back to Louisiana and get your crawfish nets out and do what you do best. By the way are these the only two madams who has a story to tell, or is there more????

What I'd really like to see now is a Republican Congressman come forward and say that this Vitter scandal puts the Clinton spectacle in perspective and made them realise that both were ridiculously inflated media circuses that shouldn't have caused the fuss they did.

I think it's the only rational thing to do, seeing as how the party is reluctant to lynch him in the same way.

"Explain it to me like I'm in kindergarten. What part don't I understand?! How come I don't share the view, and what reason do I think that the people who repeatedly assert that Vitter's 'apology' to his wife, his God, and his family translates into 'end of story'? How come I think such a perspective is STUPID; and how come I think Vitter's apparent DEMAND that the public regard (according to him, HIS PAST)- Vitter's affairs with prostitutes as something involving only his family and his religion? How come the more I hear his demand that the public go about its business and forget about what Vitter says is now "behind" him, the more infuriated I become to the point of needing to speak mind, WELL LET ME COUNT THE WAYS:

#1 When a public official -including a Judge on the bench, has an illicit or any lifestyle which requires or required sneaking around, other people know about it; and buying people off -HUSH MONEY, trading favors, quid pro quo is usually factored into maintaining such SLIPPINGS & SLIDINGS. And even if Vitter only used his personal finances to pay for his illicit past time, favors, special job positions, and perks at the public's expense are GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING. It is anyone's guess how much PORK BARREL was traded.

#2 Even now, despite he says his prostitution stints are in the past, the DC Madam exposure caused him to go out of public view prior to his press conference. His remaining out of sight, caused him to miss votes on Louisiana's behalf in Washington on significant bills. And Vitter's personal gratification takes precedence over the duty owed to his elected office.

#3 It is beyond ironic that, despite New Orleans' (and the entire State of Louisiana) status of poverty and health care deficits, the majority of people voicing their "support" for Vitter are wealthy, and not likely to be affected by social-economics. It is further ironic that Hurricanes Rita and Katrina caused Louisiana's social conditions to become exposed, while regard for addressing poverty conditions was literally never heard from Vitter's platform.

#4 In light of the dismaying manner that Attorney General Charles Foti (also sometimes referred to as one of the 3 Stooges) has allowed Louisiana to function in manifest economic oppression with utter lack of concern for enforcing Consumer Protection Laws, and in light of civil judicial corruption, which mostly MINORITIES are afflicted, if Vitter paid attention to poverty, perhaps conditions would not have resulted in the well-recognized New Orleans labels: HAVES and HAVE NOTS. Vitter's Christian values seem to omit the precept from Proverbs 30:8-9, which says: "Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal."

#5 I feel certain that whether or not Representative William J. Jefferson is guilty of wrongdoing, he also has apologized to his loved ones and his God for any reproach or heartache resultant from intentional or unintentional deeds. But Jefferson is being made to face consequences and answer changes. Why should it be any different for Vitter? Prostitution does not cease to be a crime because of an apology. And it is absurd to IGNORE that some racketeering was REQUIRED in order to maintain Vitter's activities. Vitter's offices should be searched like Jefferson's. Wendy Vitter's acceptance and admiration for her husband shows she was not adversely affected by any infractions. But the people of Louisiana were and still are affected by Vitter's peccadillos! (By the way, I can think of reasons why Wendy's seemingly magnanimous support of her husband has little to do with love for her husband.)

"Explain it to me like I'm in kindergarten. What part don't I understand?! How come I don't share the view, and what reason do I think that the people who repeatedly assert that Vitter's 'apology' to his wife, his God, and his family translates into 'end of story'? How come I think such a perspective is STUPID; and how come I think Vitter's apparent DEMAND that the public regard (according to him, HIS PAST)- Vitter's affairs with prostitutes as something involving only his family and his religion? How come the more I hear his demand that the public go about its business and forget about what Vitter says is now "behind" him, the more infuriated I become to the point of needing to speak mind, WELL LET ME COUNT THE WAYS:

#1 When a public official -including a Judge on the bench, has an illicit or any lifestyle which requires or required sneaking around, other people know about it; and buying people off -HUSH MONEY, trading favors, quid pro quo is usually factored into maintaining such SLIPPINGS & SLIDINGS. And even if Vitter only used his personal finances to pay for his illicit past time, favors, special job positions, and perks at the public's expense are GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING. It is anyone's guess how much PORK BARREL was traded.

#2 Even now, despite he says his prostitution stints are in the past, the DC Madam exposure caused him to go out of public view prior to his press conference. His remaining out of sight, caused him to miss votes on Louisiana's behalf in Washington on significant bills. And Vitter's personal gratification takes precedence over the duty owed to his elected office.

#3 It is beyond ironic that, despite New Orleans' (and the entire State of Louisiana) status of poverty and health care deficits, the majority of people voicing their "support" for Vitter are wealthy, and not likely to be affected by social-economics. It is further ironic that Hurricanes Rita and Katrina caused Louisiana's social conditions to become exposed, while regard for addressing poverty conditions was literally never heard from Vitter's platform.

#4 In light of the dismaying manner that Attorney General Charles Foti (also sometimes referred to as one of the 3 Stooges) has allowed Louisiana to function in manifest economic oppression with utter lack of concern for enforcing Consumer Protection Laws, and in light of civil judicial corruption, which mostly MINORITIES are afflicted, if Vitter paid attention to poverty, perhaps conditions would not have resulted in the well-recognized New Orleans labels: HAVES and HAVE NOTS. Vitter's Christian values seem to omit the precept from Proverbs 30:8-9, which says: "Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal."

#5 I feel certain that whether or not Representative William J. Jefferson is guilty of wrongdoing, he also has apologized to his loved ones and his God for any reproach or heartache resultant from intentional or unintentional deeds. But Jefferson is being made to face consequences and answer changes. Why should it be any different for Vitter? Prostitution does not cease to be a crime because of an apology. And it is absurd to IGNORE that some racketeering was REQUIRED in order to maintain Vitter's activities. Vitter's offices should be searched like Jefferson's. Wendy Vitter's acceptance and admiration for her husband shows she was not adversely affected by any infractions. But the people of Louisiana were and still are affected by Vitter's peccadillos! (By the way, I can think of reasons why Wendy's seemingly magnanimous support of her husband has little to do with love for her husband.)